Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-10-21
FaRM AND HOUSEHOLD.

FARM AND HOUSEHOLD
WATER IN BUTTER.-While salt will
readily dissolve at fifty degrees, IL is
not so easy 10 get the butter free from
the surplus water, andi Is by this need
less water that much injury is done to
butter. Fifty-five degrees would be
better, and salt the SutteT at sixty de-
grees. Water is great solvent OF
caseine and sugar-traces of which Will
be found in all butter, however we'll
workcd-bu: the more water rem aiming
after working over, the greater the
chemical action, and acting upon the
minute particles of curd or cheese, II
becomes rancid by well-known chemical
action. Butter should not contain more
water than is necessary To dissolve what
salt il will retain in the form of brine,
and fourteen per cent. seems 20 be- about
the amount. More water than this di-
lutes the brine, and defeats by so much
the object OF the use OF salt i'm butter
to preserve the caseine from chemical
change-nor can this be accomplished
save in Il temperature below tiity de-
grpes. In the usual creamery butter,
aud all that made by cold setting, the
maker often Internationally leaves more
than twenty per cent. of water in but
ter, not understanding that butter made
from cream slightly acid retains more
moisture than that made from sourer
cream. The sOuring breaks up the
texture of the cream, aud the butter
separates better from the butter milk.
Then all the butter maker needs to do
is 10 churn the ripened cream at Il lower
temperature than is needed for sour, to
use salt each time in washing IL free
from butter milk, ami when the regula-
ton amount of salt is used 10 season the
butter. let il dissolve. aud then By
gently working and packing, know that
the butter is free from amy excess of
water above fourteen per cent. Then
if kept below fifty degrees, and away
from the influence of the air, butter
made from soured milk must keep well.
American AgricuhTtst.
VALUE OF LINE AS FERTILIZER
Last summer Il neighbor called my at
tention to a narrow strip across one OF
his oat fields which was three or four
inches taller than the rest and explained
that the cause of il was sit bad small
coat of lime fifty-twO years ago, ana
vet il showed on every crop TO the pres
ent time. If the land on which 1t Is APP
piled is extremely poor and there Is no
sod. il should always have little ma
nure put on with it to give the lime
something 10 work on. 1t is rather
slow i'm its work. You seldom ever see
any benefit from its use till you sow IN
clover and then break up the sod. Anu
then there is no crop Oh which it is not
very beneficial. Low, clay ground that
is naturally wet and cold, unless per-
fectlv uuderdrained, is poor place for
lime. 1t shows much the best on high,
dry, gravelly soils. If low wet ground
is plowed when not in proper order on
account of moisture, where lime has
been used it seems to destroy its effects
entirely. Here is mistake many farm
ers make. Because neighbor who has
high lands can plow, they will too, even
If the water runs after them in fur
ROW The amount to be used depends
NJ the former fertility of the ground to
which it is applied, the amount you nave
on hand, the time you have to spare
without making your crop late, etc.
The old idea entertained by our grand
fathers. that too much would Kill the
ground. is extremely failacious. we
have used from 100 to 900 bushels per
acre and never lost crop on account OF
nuttiug on too much. We usually use
800 to 400 bushels per acre and then De-
fore we SOW down in clover, give top
dressing of manure, which lnsures
good catch. Then let ii lie couple OF
wears and put in corn, and we never
fail to get crop.
Land that has been lined to any eX-
tent is scarcely ever troubled with worm
which is no small item sometimes.
From past experience would say there
is no better fertilizer for an orchard
than hot lime. 1t promotes the growth
of the trees, is destructive to insects
and surely benefits the fruit.
SHALLOW CULTURE BEsT.-Proiessor
Golf of the New York Experiment Sta
ton gives some interesting information
in the Philadelphia Press about the
roots of corn, which will explain the
reason why shallow cultivation is not
only advisable, but Indispensable. lie
writes:
81 have Just spent an hour in examin-
ing the roots of three hills of corn, IN
the hope of gaming light as to the most
rational method of cultivation for the
Young crop. The tallest leaf OF the
plants examined. when drawn upright,
average nearly 10 inches in length.
The longest roots had already grown to
the distance of a foot and many Of the
roots attained the length Of eight inches